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Heritage Preservation - 02/28/2005 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2005 7:00 P.M. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS Betsy Adams, Chairperson; Jennie Brown, Vice Chairperson; Bob Amell, Deborah Barkley, Molly Gilbertson, Elise Kist STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Ben Costello, Katie Kunitz, Trevor Diddell COMMISSION STAFF John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist; Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Adams called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Commissioner Barkley arrived at 7:08 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Gilbertson moved, seconded by Amell, to approve the agenda as published. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —JANUARY 24, 2005 MOTION: Kist moved, seconded by Amell, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held on January 24, 2005, as published. Motion carried 5-0. IV. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF Gertz reported that the Boards and Commissions dinner has been scheduled for April 18. As a result, the HPC meeting for that month is being rescheduled to April 25. All Commissioners and Student Representatives will receive invitations to the dinner. V. OLD BUSINESS A. Dorenkemper House Gertz has talked with the carpentry instructor at Hennepin Technical College about having some of his students work on the Dorenkemper house project. The instructor was very interested, and said he would have his class work there in April and May. The students have some expertise and would be able to handle most of the work left to be done on the house. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 28, 2005 Page 2 Gertz has informed Dan Herbst about this arrangement for finishing the house. The students will supply the labor, but Gertz did not know who would pay for extra materials that may be needed. It was suggested that the Eden Prairie Foundation might be interested in donating funds. The Foundation is accepting grant applications until sometime in March. Gertz said he would obtain an application and submit it. B. Pleasant Hills Cemetery Nomination Report Commissioners had received the final Pleasant Hills Cemetery Nomination Report for review prior to the meeting. The Commissioners were satisfied with the changes to the Treatment Plan section that were made as a result of concerns expressed previously. Gilbertson questioned the item on page 19 that asks to consider"placing copies of all important cemetery records in the hands of the Heritage Preservation Commission." She wondered if they should be in the hands of the Historical Society instead. Gertz replied all the records for the cemetery are kept at the City. Anything related to historic preservation designation is kept in his office. He agreed the statement in the report could be misinterpreted as meaning that the HPC takes care of cemetery records. Gertz said he would have the report corrected to make it clear that all non-burial records on site designation information are kept in his office. MOTION: Gilbertson moved, seconded by Kist, to approve the corrections to the Heritage Preservation Site Nomination Report for Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Motion carried 6-0. Gertz said he is waiting for Mike Rogers to finish his review of the Eden Prairie Cemetery report and return it. If there are no changes, then a public hearing for the HPC will be scheduled at one of its regular meetings. Gertz would send out notices about the public hearing to the owners of property around the cemeteries. Amell was asked if he had heard anything from the City about formation of the Cemetery Task Force. He said he had not heard anything since he offered to represent the HPC on the task force, but understood no one else has been found to serve on it. C. Preservation Display The revised outline was reviewed, which incorporated changes suggested at the last HPC meeting. The exhibit will use historic and recent photos as the primary design element. Artifacts will be used where possible to add three-dimensional objects for view. For example, reproduction woodland period pottery and stone tools, salvaged building trim, square nails and old bottles could be displayed. Brown asked where the exhibit would be located. Gertz said the first place for the exhibit to be displayed would be the City Center. Another good location is the HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 28, 2005 Page 3 Hennepin County Library. Schools might also be interested. Adams asked if it would be suitable to put the exhibit outside, possibly in Purgatory Creek Park, on the terrace of the Riley-Jacques barn, or at Staring Lake. Gertz said he would ask the staff person assisting him if putting the exhibit outside would damage it. The photos would fade if it were outside for any length of time, however, so probably it would only be outside for a day at a time. Because of the growing senior citizen population, it was suggested that the display be taken to the Senior Center at some time and to senior housing locations. Gertz said the Historical Society would like to be involved in the project, and is being asked to supply photos. They will be mentioned in the text and will be asked to review the text after it is written. D. J.R. Cummins House Gertz said nothing could happen for adaptive reuse of the property until the LAWCON restrictions are lifted, which includes the purchase of property that could be used to meet the LAWCON requirement of replacement land. The City Council did not support the purchase of property at Riley Lake but is looking at property available next to the Birch Island Woods. Gertz had a call from an architect who represents a client interested in a number of possible uses for the house, including a tea or coffee shop, using the whole house as well as the site. Gertz told him about the restrictions on the property and its historic significance, and referred him to the City's Web site, with links to the National Park Service that would give him more information. Gertz believes the architect would send a plan to the City if things move forward with purchase of replacement land. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Anderson School Condition Assessment Report Gertz reported he is going to be doing a condition assessment of the building for the Historical Society. He will be going through the house to document existing conditions and what changes need to be made to turn it back into a schoolhouse. Gertz said he hopes to get the report done in March. A project coordinator from Kraus Anderson is volunteering his company's time. However, the assessment report has to be done before work can move forward. Adams said Super Valu donated $10,000 toward the project; a total of $20,000 has been raised so far. She hopes that other corporations will donate. B. Riley-Jacques Barn Summer Programs Gertz said a number of programs are being planned for the barn this year. Sunbonnet Day in September will be relocated there from the J.R. Cummins property. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 28, 2005 Page 4 A new program for the summer is called "Riley-Jacques Barn Twilight Specials", which will be family-oriented activities from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The first one, planned for June 18, will feature Blue Grass music by the Middle Spunk Creek Boys and a traveling medicine show. The second "Twilight Special", on July 16, is Ma and Pa Kettle movie night and also a pie-eating contest. The third "Twilight Special" is planned for August 13. It will be a barn dance with music by the Pig's Eye Landing Band, and there will be story-telling between dances. VII. ADJOURNMENT Adams reported that Commissioners Jennie Brown and Elise Kist are retiring from the HPC. March will be their last meeting. Adams thanked them for their work on the Commission. Gertz said five applicants were interviewed to fill three vacancies on the HPC. All were excellent candidates. The Council will appoint three of them in March. MOTION: Kist moved, seconded by Brown, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 6-0. Adams adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m.